


Darling, Don't Be Afraid

by V_eliza



Series: Buddie First Kiss Week 2020 [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Athena Grant is Buck's Mom, Bisexuality, Buddie First Kiss Week 2020, Coming Out, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pride, Rainbows, buddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24487615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/V_eliza/pseuds/V_eliza
Summary: Buddie First Kiss Week Day One: Related to PrideThe two plotted for a while, neither one being able to make it more than 5 seconds without bursting into a fit of laughter. Their conversation slowly shifted to firefighter Wilson’s stash of pride decorations waiting for her at home, and Hen became increasingly aware of Bucks slightly trembling hands. She took a second to take in his face. He looked deep in thought, like he needed to say something but couldn’t get the words out.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Athena Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Henrietta "Hen" Wilson, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan “Buck” Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Buddie First Kiss Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768915
Comments: 5
Kudos: 225





	Darling, Don't Be Afraid

If you didn’t know it was Pride month, you would definitely be made well aware should you happen past firehouse 118. Henrietta Wilson had been given the go ahead to decorate the station for the upcoming festivities and to say she’d gone all out would be a serious understatement. Rainbow flags were everywhere, hanging from railings, stuck to the windows and even posted on bathroom stall doors. Each member of the 118 was almost blinded by the sheer brightness of the now colourful station as they made their way in for the early shift. But they didn’t complain. They knew how important this was to Hen, and if this was how she wanted to celebrate pride then they’d all get onboard. Of course that didn’t stop the good natured teasing and onslaught of rainbow jokes, not mention Chim’s insistence on wearing sunglasses inside to help his eyes adjust.

They were sat around the table, enjoying Captain Nash’s home cooked breakfast when Hen happened to mention her decorating mission was far from over.

“I’ve got more stuff coming but it won’t arrive till tomorrow.”

“Really! More? No offence Hen but I don’t want to be reminded of your beautiful face every time I do my business.” A chorus of disgusted groans and laughs echoed through the room. Chim really needed to learn not to say everything he thinks out loud. Hen, however, found it hysterical and immediately suggested she put pictures of her and Karen kissing all over the bathrooms. Bobby shut that idea down quickly, obviously.

“Okay, Okay. No make out pictures and I will stay clear of decorating the bathrooms. Message received Cap. Everywhere else is fair game!” Hen spent the rest of her shift coming up with creative ways to display her growing stock of pride décor, focusing specifically on ways to annoy Chim. Perhaps filling his locker with rainbow glitter was the way to go. The firefighter giggled to herself as she pictured a shocked Howard Han covered head to toe in glitter. Oh yes, she was definitely going through with this.

“Something funny, Hen.”

“Holy shit! Buck, you scared the hell out of me. I thought you’d already left, shift ended half an hour ago.”

“Yeah, got some people doing some work at my apartment so I figured I’d shower here. So… what’s so funny?”

“Oh you know, the usual, thinking of ways to humiliate Chim.”

“Whatever it is, I want in. He got my sister pregnant, it’s about time I got revenge.”

“Well, what do you think about covering him in sparkles!”

The two plotted for a while, neither one being able to make it more than 5 seconds without bursting into a fit of laughter. Their conversation slowly shifted to firefighter Wilson’s stash of pride decorations waiting for her at home, and Hen became increasingly aware of Bucks slightly trembling hands. She took a second to take in his face. He looked deep in thought, like he needed to say something but couldn’t get the words out.

“Everything okay, Buckaroo?”

“Uhm, do you have any bi flags? I Uhm… kind of want to put one up around here somewhere.”

“I can get one Buck. They’re the blue, pink and purple ones, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks, I don’t know if I’m ready to…” he once against lost ability to configure his thoughts into sentences.

“Buckaroo, I’ll hang up as many bi flags as you want, no one has to know why. You don’t have to be out to be valid, sweetheart. Whenever you’re ready, I’m right here.”

Hen’s words of comfort bounced around Buck’s mind for hours after their talk. Deep down, he’d always known that his firefighting family would support him no matter what, but that didn’t stop his brain from tricking him into believing otherwise. Every time he got close to making the leap and coming out, hundreds of ‘what ifs’ began to infiltrate his mind. What if they don’t understand? What if they see it as a Buck 1.0 phase thing? What if they already know? The truth was that he’d never really been ashamed of who he is, he’d been with guys before, never really caring what other people thought. Then again this was the first time in his life he was surrounded by a family who loved him. Losing them was too big a risk, he had already lost them once before and he couldn’t go through that again.

Hen arrived at house 118 an hour before the shift started, armed and ready to make this firehouse as ready for pride as can possibly be. There was one slight difference between Hen’s previous décor and the box of stuff she brought with her today. This time she had more than just rainbow flags, ready to make sure that every member of the LGBTQ+ community felt represented, whether or not she was thinking about one pure-hearted firefighter wasn’t anyone else’s business.

Once again, the 118 were enjoying one of Bobby’s tasty creations, making small talk as they ate from various pride themed paper plates.

“You weren’t kidding when you said you had more stuff, Hen!”

“You’re damn right I wasn’t joking Chim!”

“What does this flag mean, Hen?”

“Well Bobby, that is the transgender pride flag. Pretty cool, right?”

“Yeah, where did you even get these?”

“Amazon obviously!”

Hen’s enthusiasm was infectious, everyone had spare stickers on their lockers and even their cars. But one locker remained completely bare. Buck was reluctant to decorate his locker, part of him wanted to join in the fun but he couldn’t decide what to use. Copy everyone else and use the basic rainbow flag stickers or place some bi flag decorations and be proud about it. His thought process was interrupted by his pseudo-mum, the one and only Athena Grant.

“You look deep in thought there, Buckaroo. Everything okay?”

“Can’t decide how to decorate my locker…”

“Well I’m pretty sure you just peel the stickers of the sheet and then y-”

“Yeah, yeah. I know how to use them.”

The pair smiled and laughed together at Athena’s frank sarcasm, giving Buck a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt since Hen’s quest in decoration began.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m bi.” For the first time, he had no hesitation. He just let himself be free. Athena placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and pulled him in for what can only be described as a motherly hug.

“I love you Buckaroo. You’re my kid, nothing you ever do or say will change that. You are who you are, and we all love you no matter what.”

He could no longer hold back his tears as he relaxed into her arms.

When the tears finally slowed and they pulled apart, they placed the bi flag stickers on his locker, hand in hand. He didn’t need to hide anymore. But there was one particular person he needed to tell before anyone else.

“Hey Eds, you doing anything tonight?”

“Nah, Christopher’s at a sleepover. Wanna hang?”

“Sure, my place or yours?”

“Yours is closer.”

A few hours later the pair were enjoying a buffet of pizzas and side dishes partnered with some cold beers and a marvel movie. They were comfortable, at home, it felt like the right moment for Buck to put it all on the table.

“So, I decided to decorate my locker.”

“Cool, I noticed yours was the only blank one. So, what did you go for… Rainbows, rainbows or rainbows?” the smirk on Eddies face made Evans brain short-circuit. God, he loved that smile. It took him a little too long to reply and Eddie definitely noticed.

“Buck?”

“I put the bi flags on my locker.”

“Oh. That’s cool.”

“I uhm did it for a reason, and not just because Hen insisted.” Eddie tilted his head, smiling in encouragement, urging Buck to continue. “I’m bisexual. Hen and Athena are the only ones who know, well maddie does to but she’s known since I was a kid. I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to tell anyone yet, but then Hen started going crazy with all the rainbows. Sorry I’m rambling…”

“It’s okay. I think it’s cute when you ramble.”

“Cute? Okay… and about the other thing I said?”

“I’m glad you told me. It takes a lot of courage to come out, trust me I know.”

“Wait, what?”

“I’m bi too.”

“Oh! That’s awesome. Uhm I don’t really know what to do now. This feels kinda anti climactic.”

“I have an idea that might make it a bit more exciting.”

“Yeah? What’s that then?”

Instead of a verbal reply, Eddie inched closer to Buck. Their faces were almost touching, lips trembling in anticipation. They both knew what they wanted and they weren’t going to wait any longer. Maybe it was cheesy, but if you asked either of them how their first kiss was their answer would be ‘it felt like everything fell into place”. It was slow and romantic, full of passion, put not too sexual. Eddie was the first to pull away, noticing the tears falling from his best friends’ eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t worry. These are happy tears. You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that. It was everything I hoped it would be.”

Nothing seemed scary anymore. Evan knew that no matter what he did and no matter where he went, he’d finally found a love that wouldn’t give up on him, that wouldn’t abandon him when things got tough. They already knew each other inside and out, now all that was left was to enjoy each other’s company for as long as they possibly could.

Walking into the station hand in hand the next day was euphoric, knowing smiles graced their colleagues faces, Hen reluctantly handing over a handful of cash to Chimney. Don’t worry though, Hen got her revenge against Chimney’s boastful celebration in the form of a locker full of brightly coloured glitter.


End file.
